Baboon causes power cut in Zambian tourist town

LUSAKA, July 17 (Reuters) - A baboon plunged a Zambian tourist town into darkness on Sunday after tampering with equipment at a hydro-electric power station, the state electricity company said on Monday.

The 108 megawatt power station in Livingstone, a hub for tourists visiting nearby Victoria Falls, is close to a national park but it is rare for animals to wander into the plant.

Zesco Ltd, which owns the power station, said the baboon disturbed a high voltage transformer leaving about 40,000 customers without electricity for five hours.

"The baboon suffered an electric shock and was taken to wildlife officers for treatment," Zesco spokesman Henry Kapata said, adding that the animal was fortunate to survive.

In a similar incident last year, a monkey caused a nationwide blackout in Kenya. (Reporting by Chris Mfula; Editing by Joe Brock and Toby Chopra)